You make a 13 minute video feel like a 5 min one with such interactive narration and footage great work! I always use your links knowing that you love what you do!
Glad to see your enjoying it. Footage looks fantastic for a wing, and the snowy landscape looks cool. Wish I had the balls to do some winter long range cruising lol. Too cold for me.
If you had an antenna tracker... with a wireless relay...you can always stay in the car while only the electronics will be freezing outside! I am actually considering making a relay for the R9 module... or for an XJT module for use with L9R receivers, so I can have a directional antenna on the tracker... pointed at the plane at all times... and then I can truly stay in the car during cold days, and really not mind what is happening outside.
I just bought that plane and I know absolutely nothing on fitting all the electronics so I am going to follow you and hope you will do a step by step on the installation of all electronics, love your video and All the best to you and have a great Christmas
Thanks mate! Great Christmas to you too! I am writing up the blog post right now... don't have too detailed photos of the electronics install since I've done it often... but I will try to be as detailed in explaining the installation as I can! :)
ArxangelRC, to a proper stall test put the aircraft into about 30 degrees climb with power, cut the throttle during climb and attempt to hold the attitude for as long as you can. This makes most aeroplanes enter into a nasty spin. How fast you can recover from it will really show how well resigned it is. Many wings struggle to recover from that, also make sure the CG is with a very small stability margin (what you want for efficient flight) aka, not nose heavy.
Thing is... a forward-swept wing design doesn't behave like regular flying wings... it is quite stall resistant, and it shows... I can try the 30 degrees climb thing... trust me... I've done enough of these tests to know it will not change the results! Forward swept wings just don't tip stall... at least not if made properly, and balanced properly! I can move the CG further back to make it more neutral... but even right now it is very close to that... so I don't suppose much will change, although I will probably do it, just so I can see if I can get a bit more efficiency gains! Usually I do prefer the planes even a tad tail heavy, once tuned properly, because that really does improve efficiency, and the autopilot is quite proficient in dealing with it!
He's right, manual mode, and 30 deg climb, cut power, and pull back will tell what the characteristics are. be prepared to make an unconventional stall recovery with lots of altitude first. that means stick forward, and aileron in the direction of rotation of the spin, not the usual opposite control as if you had a rudder, with a stick/tube configuration. forward sweep or not, flying wings have some real deficiencies... @@ArxangelRC
I guess we will know soon enough... I will charge up the battery and go do a whole flight trying to stall it... lets see whos going to turn out correct! With the current CG I can bet it won't stall no matter what... but I could be wrong! I am curious to make the plane more neutral, or even a tad bit nose heavy and try then... just to see what happens! :)
@@ArxangelRC if the aeroplane has wing twist and properly designed wing, the wing root will stall while wing tips still have good ammount of lift. This will make the nose to naturally move down due to less lift being generated, regain speed and in effect you don't stall it. The point is, that we both try to make, it's not how you test stall, from flying nice and level, if you actually want to stall it. Great to see that they did their homework and added wing twist as it will save quite few pilots from a nasty stall if they fly too slow at any point. Chances are that the wing fences/vortex generators (Not designed properly, just being too big) will generate vortices when you will be in a stall allowing you to have some authority over eleveons. This should make the recovery 100x easier. If you don't like the aeroplane later on, remove them and watch it spin unrecoverably until it hits the ground ;)
Hahaha... not sure it will stall quite that violently without the vortex generators! I will try to test it according to your suggestion, and we will see! I've had some experience with forward swept designs in the past... haven't seen any stalls in any situation!
Wonderful work, just wondering the rules of max altitude of 120 m from the ground etc will not apply I see it flying around 2 km altitude? what was the weight of this build?
Nice video ! What about the Bepp foam quality, how does it compares with Epp from ARwingnor Dolphin ones ? Does it explode on impact ? Does it shed the small balls one by one on edges ? Thanks
@@MrSergione75 Generally it is good, as far as I remember it does not shed the balls and actually glues back together very nicely with barely a scar as it doesn't deform much when it breaks. The Dolphin was also decent but not the same foam, even though it repairs well too.
Great review! I totally agree with your opinions of this one. I too stripped down my Mini Talon and moved the gear to the DXL. I don't regret it... lol I'm hoping for another flight tomorrow if everything goes as planned!
Thanks! Yeah... I did have a Mini Talon... stayed in its box for a few years then sold it! All these reports of tip stalls really didn't inspire much confidence! Nano Talon... not so much issues with tip stalling... but... at some point I had to stop wasting time on it! :) Good luck with your flights! :)
Just wondering your reasoning about disabling the compass, and using GPS only in arduplane... I know it would have a hard time with auto takeoff, and auto land, but why disable it?
FPVREVIEWS.....Because in a Fixed Wing scenario, a Compass is not needed to find heading / direction....If you hook the Compass up and it's not calibrated correctly, it will be at odds with the GPS location (which is always correct)
Yeah, since the autopilot can calculate direction from the GPS data, and the plane is constantly moving... you constantly have an idea where you are going! A compass requires that it is places away from interference, etc., and requires more calibrations and is too big of a hassle for something that is not needed on a regular plane! Causes too many problems...
I have this machine: goo.gl/mgzGKL And I am quite happy with it so far, although there are many models and I am not quite sure what is the difference between most of them!
@@iforce2d, you can also diy a spot welder. Lots of people have used microwave transformers, but you can also use a lead acid battery with a solenoid switch, which you can get from a salvage yard for fairly cheap. It's better, and much safer, than trying to use a soldering iron on a cell. There's a ton of videos on this. Most of the microwave transformer spot welders are the clamp style, which is meant more for metalworking, though it can be easily modified to be a dual prong tab welder. AvE has a video on the lead acid battery and solenoid switch variation, though he uses a single prong and the cell's casing as ground, though this can also be modified to be a dual prong tab welder. And with both solutions using salvaged components, the budget for making one is fairly low.
I was also looking at the TBS Caipirinha 2. Have you heard anything about it? As I don't seem to find many other reviews. The main advantage would probably the more bays for autopilots and telemetry and the larger battery/ longer flight times.
To be honest, flying wings are really not my thing... so for the most part I try to stay away from them. I have heard some mixed opinions on the Caipi... but really can't comment myself, have never really looked at the model as I've never had any real interest in it.
It definitely flies great... but I have and fly so many planes that it is hard to tell which one is my favourite, but this one is definitely one of those! I now have put together the new Enhanced version, should be testing it soon!
Where is the mountain located? I'm curious how far and high that was. I've got a 12,000 footer basically in my back yard and am always looking up at the top then looking at my wing and thinking "someday..."
Could you please do a review of the zeta sky observer it is a big fpv plane from Aliexpress I want to get one but there is almost no information on it besides a quick build from hobby King that hardly shows any detail about the building process and the parts included I am sure many other people that also want to buy it would appreciate the video :)
Hi, I cannot promise anything at the time! I have too many projects waiting, and I really am trying to go through them and add as little to the to-do list as possible, so I can actually catch up with a huge backlog of work!! :( As far as I can recall... the Sky Observer was a pretty old model!
Great review and narration. I've been considering the Dart XL and now I'm definitely close to pulling the trigger. Pity there's no kit version, though. Really great range with the R9 mini - have you thought about switching to 1.3GHz video? That mountain has an impressive looking radar installation - where is it? Cheers
Thanks mate! That particular radar installation is the reason why I can't go to 1.3Ghz! :) This is top of mount Vitosha, near Sofia, Bulgaria. This is the main airport radar...
Hi, could you tell me your firmware version on your R9MM. Me and Olivier_C are suffering from strange failsafe issues even with good rssi values. He´s running 1108 dev flex firmware, while I run the 1109 flex beta. On both wings the receiver is placed into the wing. We are noticing weird servo jittering with stock servos caused by the RX
@@ArxangelRC Thanks, are you running OpenTX, if yes, wich version? That range is insane, I think telemetry costs me some of range, because I struggle at 4km on 100mw with low rssi (35-40) with same hardware
Why do you need telemetry with an AP and OSD?....The Telemetry downlink range will always be limited anyway, it will never match the RC Uplink range, not even close. Telemetry is for short range only.
@Waldemar Kraus: Hmmmm.... which version... newest as of a few weeks ago... I think still an RC of the 2.2.2 version... And yeah... telemetry does cost range, hence why I do not use it! When I have an OSD... it is kinda pointless! What EnglishTurbines said!
@@ArxangelRC Telemetry isn't that bad when you loose your vtx signal. You still can see what the wing is doing or even fly when using the LUA telemetry. And the range isn't that bad, at 4km and 40rssi telemetry was still working with only 100mw. Could not test further because of the annoying fail-safe issues with the f.port firm. But actually you're right, with a osd it's not really necessary. Maybe I give the LBT EU firmware a chance.
The good stall characteristics are a benefit of those swept forward wings, since the stall starts at the trailing edge the root goes before the wing tips. How does the epo foam feel on this model? Is it the more brittle type or the more squishy type?
@@ArxangelRC Even better! I don't know if you have experience with the Reptile Shadow wing but I'm assuming its kinda like that, a very EPO looking EPP. I may have to keep my eye on the Dart XL, looks like a great alternative to the Mini Drak.
Well this plane has the Mini Pix in it, not an F4 board, but I hope this video can help! ua-cam.com/video/GCBP5DiBvJc/v-deo.html You should plug it in the first row of servo pins right next to the mounting hole!
What OSD are you running with the Mini Pix and anything unusual about its connection to the FC? And are you using Smartport telemetry as well as osd telemetry or telemetry radios?
I am using this one goo.gl/EDNhkC flashed with the NightGhost MinimOSD Extra firmware fork. Nothing unusual about the connection... have it connected to Telem output 2 I think! Not using Smartport telemetry and I am using the telemetry radios only during tuning and setup... then I remove it!
@@ArxangelRC Thank you Sir, Always a pleasure here and on Drone and Sundry. I have configured mine for fixed wing Chibios after using it in a CX-20. But too many projects in trays here so trying to finish one at a time. Currently building a twin tractor motor...yeah motors came from one of my CX-20s, Bixler 1 type with pan and tilt hd camera/fpv on the old motor pod. FC is the Omnibus f4 nano v6. running Chibios. Very small set might fit in anything but we will see.
ArxangelRC Oh yeah, thought it just might drive me....well Today I have had success with connecting, replacing the bootloader, and making sure controls hi five and stabilize right. I have one loaded with INav and my first Chibios build. Only issues So far are that I can’t seem to get rudder mapped to motot2 so I’m running it directly to the unstablized rcvr. The other problems have been with Windows not seeing the usb and renaming the boot loader, and finally haven’t configured the voltage monitor. All in all I might survive.
Damn... that is rough! I hope they start supporting a lot more boards soon! Manufacturers are not making it easy when they make whatever they want! For the time being I will be keeping to the Omni F4 Pro V2s...
What Firmware etc are you using on your R9MM receiver..?....Im using 868hmz and a True-Mox and at 200mw can't get much more than 1km with my RSSI hopeless in the 40s...? Forget the Dart, how did you get 12 kms out of the R9M?
Im in FCC territory but ive heard that the R9MM's are having issues with the stable release firmware in the EU. Apparently the best performing firmware for the R9MM EU version is actually a flex firmware edition... i dont know much about it but i came across it when i was researching my own firmware issues, hopefully points you in the right direction
I am actually running the 180428 firmware for the R9M module, and the 180716 firmware for the R9 MM receiver... there really aren't many other options for it! Not a fan of the FLEX firmware! I am running stock antennas on module and receiver... it should be down to antenna mounting! How is your mounted?
Interesting, Im using the same 180428 on my TX but Im not convinced I have the same R9MM Firmware file on my reciever...are you sure?....mine shows 17/07/2018 as the revision date...(one day newer)..? I have my RX antenna vertical in a tube and am using the True-Mox on my Taranis...vertically polarised of course. Can you possibly post the R9MM Firmware file up for us all to see and download?...:)
Weird... just looking at the R9 MM download page on the FrSky website, there is no firmware version with that date! The non-flax firmware for me is only one version... the other update is for FCC only! Will have to get it out of the Taranis and will try to post it... somewhere!
ArxangelRC Did it fly well with the Li-Ion? I'm rethinking on making the pack. I don't have a spot welder but I think I will manage. How much flight time did you get? Also do you have any omnidirectional antenna (for transmitter and goggle diversity) recommendation for good range? Thanks for the help. Your videos are very helpful and you deserve a lot more attention!
The plane flies very well with this battery, and even though I haven't done an endurance, I have a feeling it will be over an hour of flight time. As for good omnidirectional antennas... just use some good pagodas... although for the goggles you can also get that triple feed patch antenna, should be a good match!
@@ArxangelRC I was thinking about the Triple Feed but it seems too big. I have found the TrueRC X-Air and it looks like a good match. On paper it looks like a better antenna. I am not sure though.
There is a reason why bigger antennas work better - more surface area = more useful signal gets to the antenna! These small patch antennas are for racing, but would hardly match to a larger antenna in terms of long range potential!
@@ArxangelRC I have a custom 5° motor mount to solve the wrong thrust angle, but that's just one of the main problems of this design. The insane amount of built in reflex is way to much, so you need 7-11mm downtrim 😂 Wish they correct this in the future, because the DXL looks good!
Actually with the motor straight back... I have very little nose up on high throttle... perhaps needs just another thin washer to sort that out! 7-11mm sounds like A LOT!
Well... the Nano Talon Evo is kinda small... and doesn't really compare to the other two! Out of the other two... they are both very good! Depends on what you are looking for!
It is scary... that is why I crashed it the first time! But as long as you understand that you should pull your hand down, not back, when you throw the plane holding it by the grips... you should be fine!
well done… always love the way you explain things… I have 2 questions if you will… 1) How do you feel about R9M so far? 2)Is your onboard antenna RHCP or LHCP? Thanks in advance
Thanks mate, appreciate it! 1. Absolutely love it, even with the stock antennas it has been perfect for me, but antenna placement is critical! 2. RHCP all the way! :P
And yet you have liked RagTheNutsOff's video review on this same plane... talk about double standards!!! Traitor to country and to humanity... strong words when they actually mean nothing! My country doesn't manufacture too much... what am I supposed to do? EVERYTHING is made in China... it is how and what it is... and that slave labour force... yeah... quite far from our hobby... you should visit and see for yourself! Perhaps clothes and some other industries... and yet you still wear them and use those products... talk about treason... funny how that slave labour, Chinese made blanket is keeping you warm in winter, and you have no problem with that! ;P I will ask you to start your own youtube channel about all US made RC stuff... see how far you get!
@BigDDaddy HAaaahahaha buddy... have you made a purchase in the last 15 years?...Yes?... well then you too are a "traitor to your country" hahhaha you do realise china is the manufacturing hub of the PLANET right? like there isnt an 'Murican alternative to any of these products and if there are, guess where they are manufactured.... wait for it... CHINA!
They call them vortex generators... although they do look like some sort of a hybrid solution! Wing fences are usually fewer and larger... going all the way tot he trailing edge of the wing.
Well... I am pretty certain the motor can go at least up to 30-35A so these cells might get seriously overloaded at times... and will be easy too, especially on take off and altitude gains!
@ArxangelRC Ok thanks! If I put cells in parrallel does the max curreny stack up? e.g If I use 8A cells in a 1S2P configuration I can draw 16A right? Could this fit a 3P or better to use 2P?
Yes, the current would stack up... 3P would put you at 600 grams for a 4S pack... which is kinda heavy, and you would need those amps for the take off... which this battery will barely be able to provide! I wouldn't build a pack for this plane out of these! That is why I have chosen a high discharge cell...
Soncimodell is just great, and about those hinges they arent the best but ive vrashed my soncimodell f1 into a thousand pieces many times and the hinges are all still fine. I also went over 200kph with it.
Damn! That is some serious speed! On a light model these hinges should be fine... but still... 1m wing span is borderline for me... and I would have liked to see some! :)
@@ArxangelRC when you test sonic modell hd. i hear that plane super stable this is the plane on banggod sonicmodell hd www.banggood.com/id/Sonicmodell-HD-Wing-1213mm-Wingspan-EPO-FPV-Flying-Wing-RC-Airplane-KIT-p-1194161.html?gmcCountry=ID¤cy=IDR&createTmp=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA0uLgBRABEiwAecFnk6lL183x8k1TlKxyr1g8WOJu6p-Oc_C8-qN1HdVvgtPV--GdK-x8cxoCmbMQAvD_BwE&cur_warehouse=CN
@@ArxangelRC Thanks for your reply. I respect your statement. My opinion was coming from the standpoint of a first-year construction / architecture student... viewing from far away.
@@ArxangelRC best to you....amazes me how many people think they know more about YOUR plane when they have never even crossed a road before. HA! I have learned a lot from you and I thank you.
Some spectacular images here!! (But to me those materials are not my faves for aero models. I used to made them in balsa wood and rice paper, metal , glue, ...I like those more.) Even Uav futures destroyed his in a minute..
Sadly no... but trust me... you do not want those things included with a model like this... at this price! This is not a toy like the SkyEasy plane... you want a reliable radio here!
Hi, i have a few questions, hopefully you will answer to me... I had in mind to buy this plane with the parts that you linked, i am good in electronics since it is my job also, but i have no experience at all on RC aircraft. Thanks to my experience in such sectors i know that trying this for the first time can be problematic for me, starting over from zero can always be a challenge. That being said, i need to know how everything will work together once mounted. I mean, does the controller support all the GPS functions already? Where did you see the video coming out from the plane? Can it go to specific way points that you set and return home automatically if necessary? What happens if you run out of range? Thank you for your time, amazing video and results ! I would like to do the same, but maybe now i will understand that it is too early for me after your answers xD
Hey mate, just as a starter, if this will be your first plane, I would suggest you start off with something else, and leave this for a later period, when you get some experience under your belt! But... on to your questions - Yes, the controller I am using with the firmware I am using does support more autonomous functions than you can probably need for an average hobby flight. On the ground I have a relay from my antenna tracker to a monitor, and I see the video feed coming from the plane on said monitor! You can check some of my older videos, I have a video on my ground station setup! Yes, it can do to multiple waypoints and return home on its own, or RTH upon loss of signal, that is basic functionality!
@@ArxangelRC You are probably right, but..... i m stubborn indeed! I trust your videos, wich will make it possible for me to use this set up as first plane! The biggest real problem to be honest is that i am not a pilot!!
Well, I've been looking for a new semi long range and was hooked on the nano talon, yet you gave up on the nano. Hmmmm, I am not great with wings, preferring a cruiser. Whats a recommendation from anyone here about this versus the nano talon? The reviewers are the ones that have the most experience with these planes. I'm all ears.
@@ArxangelRC having not flown the nano, what is it that you don't prefer? Sounds like the Dart XL is a lot more stable. Is that it? And thank you for your response.
Yeah... can carry more FPV gear and cameras, and is a lot more stable than the Nano Talon... without the need to make mods! The Nano Talon is not as stable even with the mods!
The biggest problem with the plane is the plastic front as it is prone to breaking. The other ZOHD with the backward wings doesn't have this issue as the front is the abs foam like the rest of the plane which it much more crash resistant.
@@ArxangelRC Thats what I've ended up doing on our newer believer and skywalker x8 builds. One student has hinges in his earlier built believer, but I wasn't a fan of the gap.
Well... the motor mount needed some glue, and consequently the motor some shimming at the top... but other than that... what you see is my experience with it! Generally when you use something for its intended purpose... it tends to work out better! :)
@@ArxangelRC yes you are right. Anyway here's what I see as beautiful. It's my P40 Warhawk. I built it for my wife. Buffed out lacquer finish. ua-cam.com/video/5QAjkiUy_8s/v-deo.html
@@ArxangelRC My zohd dart xl just came in today actually, and I preordered it quite a while ago. I transplanted the 6A BGL autopilot/RTH controller and am now going to install the fpv gear. I'm going to use a Runcam 2 for recording/fpv. I can't wait!
There was some... but truth be told I expected more jello... given how badly balanced was the stock prop! And even so... it was barely visible... if it even was!
The ZOHD Dart XL is some bad-quality foam, readily shattering into pieces at first crash, plus some bad arodynamics design, pitching up at airspeed increase, for a not-so-cheap price. I would rather buy me a Mini Drak, or even a fully sized one. Just look at what beating good-quality foam can take: ua-cam.com/video/Z0X1pxFrx4A/v-deo.html
@@ArxangelRC I respect your opinion, but please understand my point. In my view, an RC plane has to have two basic characteristics to be worth considering buying and using: 1) it has to fly well. In other words, it has to have good aerodynamics. ZOHD Dart XL does not. It has known serious issues with uncontrollable pitch. 2) it has to be resilient to crashes, cause every RC plane is predestined to crash sooner or later. ZOHD Dart XL shatters to pieces, cause it is made of cheap unappropriate material. In addition to that, its price is pretty high and can be compared to that of planes which have 0 problems neither with 1) nor with 2) If in your eyes this all does not make it a bad plane, I will respectfully disagree, cause in my eyes it does. They might improve it, you say? Probably. We will discuss that after they do so, if they do so. BTW just ordered me a discounted Big Drak kit for 200 Euro.
Good for you! And I do understand and agree with your conditions, but... this is a point of view really... and honestly... if we are talking crashability... nothing beats Volantex's plastic fuselages for the Ranger series, for instance... so compared to them, everything else should be considered crap... soooo... not so easy to get a definitive answer there! I have crashed my Dart a few times and only damage has been to the wing tip... which was easy to fix, fingers crossed there are no more accidents, but a good crash will total a foam plane no matter of the material! As for the aerodynamics... yes, it does pitch up a bit, but most of that is due to motor angle... not really the design of the plane, I do touch on that topic in my blog post on the plane, might want to check it out! Mine still needs just a tad bit of correction but I actually like a slight pitch up with higher throttle, because I am chasing clouds anyway, and it just makes it easy to get up there when the plane just goes up all on its own when I raise the throttle, rather than having to hold that elevator up myself... so I have found my balance with this one, and the fact it now pitches up slightly at higher speeds doesn't really bother me, but a motor angle correction is needed! Other than that though... in my experience, and I did fly it yesterday again in some pretty extreme weather conditions... the plane handles absolutely perfectly and is a dream to fly slow... er because it just doesn't stall! I am going to talk to ZOHD about that foam though... be sure of that! :)
@@ArxangelRC Thanks foy your detailed reply. The aerodynamics issue we are discussing seems to be caused by two things. One is, as you quite correctly mentioned, the wrong default motor installation angle, which is relatively easily fixed, provided that you are ready to run extensive flight tests for doing the required precize motor angle adjustments (and provided that you wont crush the plane when doing test flights with the not-yet-correct angle). The other one is a general suboptimal plane shape. The consequences of the latter can presumably be to a certain extent compensated by removing the ventilated rear ESC bay cover and/or by changing the default (idle) elevons position. However it is a fairly flawed solution, since the effect of these "adjustments" (for the lack of a better word) will vary depending on the flight speed. To fully correct this issue, the shape of the plane would have to be changed, hence new injection molds would have to be ordered. This is very close to a full plane redesign, since the price of injection molds is afaik the biggest cost factor for foam planes. The foam issue is a big problem for plane operation, and indeed a cost factor too, but presumably a minor cost factor, since the price difference between the raw materials for a bad foam vs. those for a high-quality foam are afaik minimal. So choosing bad foam is rather a sign of the manufacturer being extra greedy, than of his inability to offer a plane made of good foam for an almost the same price. P.S. And when talking about ordering new molds, it is not just about having the money to order such. It is about being able to make sure, that the parts coming out of your new mold actually fly better then those which used to come out of the old molds. And for that, you need to know aerodynamics. It is a science, and not the easiest one. By how the ZOHD Dart XL looks I can tell that it was designed by a star wars-inspired artist. Optically, the plane really looks very appealing. But it is not enogh, unfortunately.
You make a 13 minute video feel like a 5 min one with such interactive narration and footage great work!
I always use your links knowing that you love what you do!
Thank you mate! Really appreciate it!
Glad to see your enjoying it. Footage looks fantastic for a wing, and the snowy landscape looks cool. Wish I had the balls to do some winter long range cruising lol. Too cold for me.
If you had an antenna tracker... with a wireless relay...you can always stay in the car while only the electronics will be freezing outside! I am actually considering making a relay for the R9 module... or for an XJT module for use with L9R receivers, so I can have a directional antenna on the tracker... pointed at the plane at all times... and then I can truly stay in the car during cold days, and really not mind what is happening outside.
A repeater station and antenna tracker is definitely on my list of projects this winter. Been wanting to do one for a while
Yeah... I am very close to having everything up a running for such a system! Just need a few more things! :)
This channel deserve more sub
Thank you! I would like that very much! :)
Love the video. Thank you.
Do you have a link for the battery cells you used for the plane?
Thank you! Yes, link should be in the video description! :)
I just bought that plane and I know absolutely nothing on fitting all the electronics so I am going to follow you and hope you will do a step by step on the installation of all electronics, love your video and All the best to you and have a great Christmas
Thanks mate! Great Christmas to you too! I am writing up the blog post right now... don't have too detailed photos of the electronics install since I've done it often... but I will try to be as detailed in explaining the installation as I can! :)
@@ArxangelRC thank you , looking forward to it
Have put the link to the blog in the video description! I hope it helps, otherwise I am always around to answer questions!
ArxangelRC, to a proper stall test put the aircraft into about 30 degrees climb with power, cut the throttle during climb and attempt to hold the attitude for as long as you can. This makes most aeroplanes enter into a nasty spin. How fast you can recover from it will really show how well resigned it is. Many wings struggle to recover from that, also make sure the CG is with a very small stability margin (what you want for efficient flight) aka, not nose heavy.
Thing is... a forward-swept wing design doesn't behave like regular flying wings... it is quite stall resistant, and it shows... I can try the 30 degrees climb thing... trust me... I've done enough of these tests to know it will not change the results! Forward swept wings just don't tip stall... at least not if made properly, and balanced properly! I can move the CG further back to make it more neutral... but even right now it is very close to that... so I don't suppose much will change, although I will probably do it, just so I can see if I can get a bit more efficiency gains! Usually I do prefer the planes even a tad tail heavy, once tuned properly, because that really does improve efficiency, and the autopilot is quite proficient in dealing with it!
He's right, manual mode, and 30 deg climb, cut power, and pull back will tell what the characteristics are. be prepared to make an unconventional stall recovery with lots of altitude first.
that means stick forward, and aileron in the direction of rotation of the spin, not the usual opposite control as if you had a rudder, with a stick/tube configuration. forward sweep or not, flying wings have some real deficiencies... @@ArxangelRC
I guess we will know soon enough... I will charge up the battery and go do a whole flight trying to stall it... lets see whos going to turn out correct! With the current CG I can bet it won't stall no matter what... but I could be wrong! I am curious to make the plane more neutral, or even a tad bit nose heavy and try then... just to see what happens! :)
@@ArxangelRC if the aeroplane has wing twist and properly designed wing, the wing root will stall while wing tips still have good ammount of lift. This will make the nose to naturally move down due to less lift being generated, regain speed and in effect you don't stall it. The point is, that we both try to make, it's not how you test stall, from flying nice and level, if you actually want to stall it. Great to see that they did their homework and added wing twist as it will save quite few pilots from a nasty stall if they fly too slow at any point.
Chances are that the wing fences/vortex generators (Not designed properly, just being too big) will generate vortices when you will be in a stall allowing you to have some authority over eleveons. This should make the recovery 100x easier. If you don't like the aeroplane later on, remove them and watch it spin unrecoverably until it hits the ground ;)
Hahaha... not sure it will stall quite that violently without the vortex generators! I will try to test it according to your suggestion, and we will see! I've had some experience with forward swept designs in the past... haven't seen any stalls in any situation!
great video, enjoy your humor. nice work!
Thank you! :)
Wonderful work, just wondering the rules of max altitude of 120 m from the ground etc will not apply I see it flying around 2 km altitude? what was the weight of this build?
Can't say that I recall exactly, should be noted in the blog post... but I would reckon a bit over 1kg.
Thanks for the review. Makes me want to order one right now!
Thanks mate... in my eyes it is worth it! :)
Nice video ! What about the Bepp foam quality, how does it compares with Epp from ARwingnor Dolphin ones ? Does it explode on impact ? Does it shed the small balls one by one on edges ? Thanks
@@MrSergione75 Generally it is good, as far as I remember it does not shed the balls and actually glues back together very nicely with barely a scar as it doesn't deform much when it breaks. The Dolphin was also decent but not the same foam, even though it repairs well too.
Great review! I totally agree with your opinions of this one. I too stripped down my Mini Talon and moved the gear to the DXL. I don't regret it... lol I'm hoping for another flight tomorrow if everything goes as planned!
Thanks! Yeah... I did have a Mini Talon... stayed in its box for a few years then sold it! All these reports of tip stalls really didn't inspire much confidence! Nano Talon... not so much issues with tip stalling... but... at some point I had to stop wasting time on it! :) Good luck with your flights! :)
How did you guys deal with the reflex on the back of the wing? Ive thought about mixing in some down with the throttle but thats not efficient
omg... the view is so mesmerizing me... love it so much........
Thank you! :)
Just wondering your reasoning about disabling the compass, and using GPS only in arduplane... I know it would have a hard time with auto takeoff, and auto land, but why disable it?
FPVREVIEWS.....Because in a Fixed Wing scenario, a Compass is not needed to find heading / direction....If you hook the Compass up and it's not calibrated correctly, it will be at odds with the GPS location (which is always correct)
Yeah, since the autopilot can calculate direction from the GPS data, and the plane is constantly moving... you constantly have an idea where you are going! A compass requires that it is places away from interference, etc., and requires more calibrations and is too big of a hassle for something that is not needed on a regular plane! Causes too many problems...
What are you using for spot welding? I'm thinking about making a li-ion pack myself sometime...
I have this machine: goo.gl/mgzGKL
And I am quite happy with it so far, although there are many models and I am not quite sure what is the difference between most of them!
@@ArxangelRC hmmm kinda pricey, I think I'll try soldering for my first one. I only need 4S1P
Make sure you have a powerful soldering iron... 100W for instance! You need to keep it on the cell as short as possible, so you don't overheat them!
@@iforce2d, you can also diy a spot welder. Lots of people have used microwave transformers, but you can also use a lead acid battery with a solenoid switch, which you can get from a salvage yard for fairly cheap. It's better, and much safer, than trying to use a soldering iron on a cell.
There's a ton of videos on this. Most of the microwave transformer spot welders are the clamp style, which is meant more for metalworking, though it can be easily modified to be a dual prong tab welder. AvE has a video on the lead acid battery and solenoid switch variation, though he uses a single prong and the cell's casing as ground, though this can also be modified to be a dual prong tab welder. And with both solutions using salvaged components, the budget for making one is fairly low.
I was also looking at the TBS Caipirinha 2. Have you heard anything about it? As I don't seem to find many other reviews. The main advantage would probably the more bays for autopilots and telemetry and the larger battery/ longer flight times.
To be honest, flying wings are really not my thing... so for the most part I try to stay away from them. I have heard some mixed opinions on the Caipi... but really can't comment myself, have never really looked at the model as I've never had any real interest in it.
Excellent presentation and beautiful video.
Thank you! :)
It seems weird seeing snow when we are in a 42 degrees celsius heat wave here !
Hahaha, damn... you should be quite far from me then!
@@ArxangelRC I'm in Southern NSW, Australia. It was 42 degrees Celcius here yesterday!
Damn... I would actually prefer to stay in the cold here! :P
Best review, thank you for showing the crash into the bush! great video!
Thanks mate, glad you like it! :)
Thanks for the great content - Is this platform still one of your favorites?
It definitely flies great... but I have and fly so many planes that it is hard to tell which one is my favourite, but this one is definitely one of those! I now have put together the new Enhanced version, should be testing it soon!
@@ArxangelRC your channel is great! Thanks. If I buy more toys, I will buy through your links.
@@mateostyle Thanks mate, really appreciate it! :)
Where is the mountain located? I'm curious how far and high that was. I've got a 12,000 footer basically in my back yard and am always looking up at the top then looking at my wing and thinking "someday..."
The peak is about 12km away, and 1740m above the take off location! But I have gone over 3kms altitude in that area!
@@ArxangelRC that's just amazing, thanks for all the amazing vids :)
You are welcome mate! :)
Do you have more detail about building those lion battery?
I am making a video about it, hoping to have it out soon! :)
Excellent review as always, thank you!
Thanks mate, appreciate it! :)
Could you please do a review of the zeta sky observer it is a big fpv plane from Aliexpress I want to get one but there is almost no information on it besides a quick build from hobby King that hardly shows any detail about the building process and the parts included I am sure many other people that also want to buy it would appreciate the video :)
Hi, I cannot promise anything at the time! I have too many projects waiting, and I really am trying to go through them and add as little to the to-do list as possible, so I can actually catch up with a huge backlog of work!! :( As far as I can recall... the Sky Observer was a pretty old model!
@@ArxangelRC ok that's fine thanks for the reply :)
@@racingturtel5002 May be... sometime later! :) Have to catch up with the work.
Great review and narration. I've been considering the Dart XL and now I'm definitely close to pulling the trigger. Pity there's no kit version, though. Really great range with the R9 mini - have you thought about switching to 1.3GHz video? That mountain has an impressive looking radar installation - where is it? Cheers
Thanks mate! That particular radar installation is the reason why I can't go to 1.3Ghz! :) This is top of mount Vitosha, near Sofia, Bulgaria. This is the main airport radar...
@@ArxangelRC HA! I love that! =)))
So do I! :)
Hi, could you tell me your firmware version on your R9MM. Me and Olivier_C are suffering from strange failsafe issues even with good rssi values. He´s running 1108 dev flex firmware, while I run the 1109 flex beta. On both wings the receiver is placed into the wing. We are noticing weird servo jittering with stock servos caused by the RX
Hey, I am using the 180716 firmware version for the R9MM and I am staying away from the flex sh*t... I have 180428 on the R9M module!
@@ArxangelRC Thanks, are you running OpenTX, if yes, wich version? That range is insane, I think telemetry costs me some of range, because I struggle at 4km on 100mw with low rssi (35-40) with same hardware
Why do you need telemetry with an AP and OSD?....The Telemetry downlink range will always be limited anyway, it will never match the RC Uplink range, not even close.
Telemetry is for short range only.
@Waldemar Kraus: Hmmmm.... which version... newest as of a few weeks ago... I think still an RC of the 2.2.2 version... And yeah... telemetry does cost range, hence why I do not use it! When I have an OSD... it is kinda pointless! What EnglishTurbines said!
@@ArxangelRC
Telemetry isn't that bad when you loose your vtx signal. You still can see what the wing is doing or even fly when using the LUA telemetry. And the range isn't that bad, at 4km and 40rssi telemetry was still working with only 100mw. Could not test further because of the annoying fail-safe issues with the f.port firm.
But actually you're right, with a osd it's not really necessary.
Maybe I give the LBT EU firmware a chance.
The good stall characteristics are a benefit of those swept forward wings, since the stall starts at the trailing edge the root goes before the wing tips. How does the epo foam feel on this model? Is it the more brittle type or the more squishy type?
This is not EPO... it is EPP... of the biodegradable sort apparently! :) It is stiff... doesn't wrinkle easily! Not like typical EPP!
@@ArxangelRC Even better! I don't know if you have experience with the Reptile Shadow wing but I'm assuming its kinda like that, a very EPO looking EPP. I may have to keep my eye on the Dart XL, looks like a great alternative to the Mini Drak.
I do like the plane quite a lot, and actually I have some interesting plans for it in the very near future! :)
What do you use for fpv transmission - I noticed that you are using the farsky m9 long range transmitter. EDIT ---- WHAT'S THAT TRIPOD THING???
I am using the AKK X2 Ultimate Vtx (goo.gl/umqTtk), and that on the tripod... ua-cam.com/video/fTGyGfEibGc/v-deo.html
Can you advise the wiring connections to the F4 board from your receiver? Thanks
Well this plane has the Mini Pix in it, not an F4 board, but I hope this video can help! ua-cam.com/video/GCBP5DiBvJc/v-deo.html
You should plug it in the first row of servo pins right next to the mounting hole!
What OSD are you running with the Mini Pix and anything unusual about its connection to the FC? And are you using Smartport telemetry as well as osd telemetry or telemetry radios?
I am using this one goo.gl/EDNhkC flashed with the NightGhost MinimOSD Extra firmware fork. Nothing unusual about the connection... have it connected to Telem output 2 I think! Not using Smartport telemetry and I am using the telemetry radios only during tuning and setup... then I remove it!
@@ArxangelRC Thank you Sir, Always a pleasure here and on Drone and Sundry. I have configured mine for fixed wing Chibios after using it in a CX-20. But too many projects in trays here so trying to finish one at a time. Currently building a twin tractor motor...yeah motors came from one of my CX-20s, Bixler 1 type with pan and tilt hd camera/fpv on the old motor pod. FC is the Omnibus f4 nano v6. running Chibios. Very small set might fit in anything but we will see.
Thank you! An interesting project you've got there! How was the flashing of the that Nano? Any issues?
ArxangelRC Oh yeah, thought it just might drive me....well Today I have had success with connecting, replacing the bootloader, and making sure controls hi five and stabilize right. I have one loaded with INav and my first Chibios build. Only issues So far are that I can’t seem to get rudder mapped to motot2 so I’m running it directly to the unstablized rcvr. The other problems have been with Windows not seeing the usb and renaming the boot loader, and finally haven’t configured the voltage monitor. All in all I might survive.
Damn... that is rough! I hope they start supporting a lot more boards soon! Manufacturers are not making it easy when they make whatever they want! For the time being I will be keeping to the Omni F4 Pro V2s...
What Firmware etc are you using on your R9MM receiver..?....Im using 868hmz and a True-Mox and at 200mw can't get much more than 1km with my RSSI hopeless in the 40s...?
Forget the Dart, how did you get 12 kms out of the R9M?
Im in FCC territory but ive heard that the R9MM's are having issues with the stable release firmware in the EU. Apparently the best performing firmware for the R9MM EU version is actually a flex firmware edition... i dont know much about it but i came across it when i was researching my own firmware issues, hopefully points you in the right direction
Oh, okay...thanks for your input....12 kms on 868mhz is dreamland for most of us here at the moment...
I am actually running the 180428 firmware for the R9M module, and the 180716 firmware for the R9 MM receiver... there really aren't many other options for it! Not a fan of the FLEX firmware! I am running stock antennas on module and receiver... it should be down to antenna mounting! How is your mounted?
Interesting, Im using the same 180428 on my TX but Im not convinced I have the same R9MM Firmware file on my reciever...are you sure?....mine shows 17/07/2018 as the revision date...(one day newer)..?
I have my RX antenna vertical in a tube and am using the True-Mox on my Taranis...vertically polarised of course.
Can you possibly post the R9MM Firmware file up for us all to see and download?...:)
Weird... just looking at the R9 MM download page on the FrSky website, there is no firmware version with that date! The non-flax firmware for me is only one version... the other update is for FCC only! Will have to get it out of the Taranis and will try to post it... somewhere!
Great video!. I want to get one. Thinking of getting one. What is the diameter of the motor shaft? I want to get a folding prop....
It does not have a protruding shaft... but a bolt on one, and that one is 5mm!
@@ArxangelRC thanks!
You are welcome! :)
I think cruiser is correct. I'm interested in the efficiency of this model in all the different situations.
Nice missions.
Will have to check the DVR and run the numbers... as I am not certain the current sensor is calibrated correctly!
@@ArxangelRC I'm looking forward to learning how to calibrate.
Andrew Newton was showing cruising at 4 A.
Hmmm... it is possible under the right conditions... but I will have to do more tests and to verify my current sensor readouts!
How does the ground station track the transmitter? I see it moving
There is a module for that, links are in the video below!
Great review! If I were to use a lipo could I go with more than 3300mAh to increase the flight time? I'm am not really into making Lion packs.
Am not certain now... but I think a larger battery could be used... not too much larger though! I think a 4S 5000mAh was the upper limit!
ArxangelRC Did it fly well with the Li-Ion? I'm rethinking on making the pack. I don't have a spot welder but I think I will manage. How much flight time did you get? Also do you have any omnidirectional antenna (for transmitter and goggle diversity) recommendation for good range? Thanks for the help. Your videos are very helpful and you deserve a lot more attention!
The plane flies very well with this battery, and even though I haven't done an endurance, I have a feeling it will be over an hour of flight time. As for good omnidirectional antennas... just use some good pagodas... although for the goggles you can also get that triple feed patch antenna, should be a good match!
@@ArxangelRC I was thinking about the Triple Feed but it seems too big. I have found the TrueRC X-Air and it looks like a good match. On paper it looks like a better antenna. I am not sure though.
There is a reason why bigger antennas work better - more surface area = more useful signal gets to the antenna! These small patch antennas are for racing, but would hardly match to a larger antenna in terms of long range potential!
Hi! Does your model fly with 8-11mm downtrim on the elevons too? Mine does..
Nope, it doesn't! You motor angle must be too high up! Try putting some washers under the top motor screws to try and level it out.
@@ArxangelRC I have a custom 5° motor mount to solve the wrong thrust angle, but that's just one of the main problems of this design. The insane amount of built in reflex is way to much, so you need 7-11mm downtrim 😂 Wish they correct this in the future, because the DXL looks good!
Actually with the motor straight back... I have very little nose up on high throttle... perhaps needs just another thin washer to sort that out! 7-11mm sounds like A LOT!
You sure you are not running tail heavy?
what is this automatic antenna moving telescopic arm?
This should answer your question: ua-cam.com/video/fTGyGfEibGc/v-deo.html
Sir how would you compare the GT Rebel, Dart XL and Talon Evo from ZOHD?
Well... the Nano Talon Evo is kinda small... and doesn't really compare to the other two! Out of the other two... they are both very good! Depends on what you are looking for!
What fpv plane would you recommend for general enjoyable everyday flying?
The Talon GT or the Razor Crest (Killer Whale)!
@@ArxangelRC Thank you for your reply
@@jpdt7936 You are welcome!
isnt it hairy launching it holding from underside? that big prop in the back would scare me to rip my right hand
It is scary... that is why I crashed it the first time! But as long as you understand that you should pull your hand down, not back, when you throw the plane holding it by the grips... you should be fine!
well done… always love the way you explain things… I have 2 questions if you will…
1) How do you feel about R9M so far?
2)Is your onboard antenna RHCP or LHCP?
Thanks in advance
Thanks mate, appreciate it!
1. Absolutely love it, even with the stock antennas it has been perfect for me, but antenna placement is critical!
2. RHCP all the way! :P
I like your new intro
Thank you! It still needs some work, but I think it turned out pretty decent! :)
Which one of you slot-car drivers disliked this video? lol
Hahahahaha... there are always a few people not happy with my distances and altitudes... can't please everybody!
And yet you have liked RagTheNutsOff's video review on this same plane... talk about double standards!!! Traitor to country and to humanity... strong words when they actually mean nothing! My country doesn't manufacture too much... what am I supposed to do? EVERYTHING is made in China... it is how and what it is... and that slave labour force... yeah... quite far from our hobby... you should visit and see for yourself! Perhaps clothes and some other industries... and yet you still wear them and use those products... talk about treason... funny how that slave labour, Chinese made blanket is keeping you warm in winter, and you have no problem with that! ;P I will ask you to start your own youtube channel about all US made RC stuff... see how far you get!
@BigDDaddy HAaaahahaha buddy... have you made a purchase in the last 15 years?...Yes?... well then you too are a "traitor to your country" hahhaha you do realise china is the manufacturing hub of the PLANET right? like there isnt an 'Murican alternative to any of these products and if there are, guess where they are manufactured.... wait for it... CHINA!
Awesome looking plane, love the fact it's a cruiser! Great video and thanks for sharing:)
You are welcome mate! :)
ArxangelRC 😊👍
so are those wing fences or VG's on the leading edge?
I would assume the same, considering that the craft has a tailess forward swept wing configuration, these would help maintain control at stall speeds.
They call them vortex generators... although they do look like some sort of a hybrid solution! Wing fences are usually fewer and larger... going all the way tot he trailing edge of the wing.
How much A does the motor draw? Could I go with a 4S2P pack build with these cells Sony Konion US18650VC7 3500mAh 8A? Thanks
Well... I am pretty certain the motor can go at least up to 30-35A so these cells might get seriously overloaded at times... and will be easy too, especially on take off and altitude gains!
@ArxangelRC Ok thanks! If I put cells in parrallel does the max curreny stack up? e.g If I use 8A cells in a 1S2P configuration I can draw 16A right? Could this fit a 3P or better to use 2P?
Yes, the current would stack up... 3P would put you at 600 grams for a 4S pack... which is kinda heavy, and you would need those amps for the take off... which this battery will barely be able to provide! I wouldn't build a pack for this plane out of these! That is why I have chosen a high discharge cell...
Thank you for the review
You are welcome!
Not using inav launch mode? had good results with it so far
Not using iNAV at all! Just not worth the risks!
another great video. I've subscribed
Thanks! :)
От София ли си ? Готино видео. Браво.
Да! Мерси! :)
Soncimodell is just great, and about those hinges they arent the best but ive vrashed my soncimodell f1 into a thousand pieces many times and the hinges are all still fine. I also went over 200kph with it.
Damn! That is some serious speed! On a light model these hinges should be fine... but still... 1m wing span is borderline for me... and I would have liked to see some! :)
You tried an Opterra? You may like it.
Not the biggest fan of wings! :)
Great review!
Thank you! :)
What video receiver are you using?
A Boscam FR362 mounted on my antenna tracker.
mine came in today !!
Nice! Good luck!
Wow very nice plane. Good job brother
Thanks mate! :)
@@ArxangelRC when you test sonic modell hd. i hear that plane super stable
this is the plane on banggod sonicmodell hd
www.banggood.com/id/Sonicmodell-HD-Wing-1213mm-Wingspan-EPO-FPV-Flying-Wing-RC-Airplane-KIT-p-1194161.html?gmcCountry=ID¤cy=IDR&createTmp=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA0uLgBRABEiwAecFnk6lL183x8k1TlKxyr1g8WOJu6p-Oc_C8-qN1HdVvgtPV--GdK-x8cxoCmbMQAvD_BwE&cur_warehouse=CN
I have seen this before... but a wing... especially a bit one like this, is definitely not my first choice for a review or otherwise!
@@ArxangelRC why, can give me suggestions about that plane
I don't like wings in general! And especially those above 1m wingspan... because they get heavy and hard to launch!
great video. Thank you.
Thanks mate! :)
At 6:36 we see beautiful buildings. Where are these located please?
Hardly beautiful... I live in Sofia, Bulgaria.
@@ArxangelRC Thanks for your reply. I respect your statement. My opinion was coming from the standpoint of a first-year construction / architecture student... viewing from far away.
Right! :) Got it...
@@ArxangelRC best to you....amazes me how many people think they know more about YOUR plane when they have never even crossed a road before. HA! I have learned a lot from you and I thank you.
I am glad to have helped you mate! Best of luck! :)
I enjoyed the video. You earned a sub
Thanks mate, appreciate it!
Wow dude what a plane 😂😍🤩
Indeed! :)
Awesome video :)
Thanks! :)
excelent work dear
Thanks mate! :)
Now that was amazing. What is the price tag on this awesome bird??
About $200...unless there is some sale! :)
Some spectacular images here!! (But to me those materials are not my faves for aero models. I used to made them in balsa wood and rice paper, metal , glue, ...I like those more.)
Even Uav futures destroyed his in a minute..
UAV Futures is a Quad Boy....He knows nothing about Fixed Wing flying....lol
Hahaha... really... this is going to be fun... let me try and find that video! :D
Uav futures couldn’t fly something with wings if his life depended on it
I think he lost video... hahaha, that is why he crashed it! :) Still... copter guy for sure! :D
For over $180, does this come with a radio and/or FPV goggles?
Sadly no... but trust me... you do not want those things included with a model like this... at this price! This is not a toy like the SkyEasy plane... you want a reliable radio here!
Hi, i have a few questions, hopefully you will answer to me... I had in mind to buy this plane with the parts that you linked, i am good in electronics since it is my job also, but i have no experience at all on RC aircraft. Thanks to my experience in such sectors i know that trying this for the first time can be problematic for me, starting over from zero can always be a challenge. That being said, i need to know how everything will work together once mounted. I mean, does the controller support all the GPS functions already? Where did you see the video coming out from the plane? Can it go to specific way points that you set and return home automatically if necessary? What happens if you run out of range?
Thank you for your time, amazing video and results ! I would like to do the same, but maybe now i will understand that it is too early for me after your answers xD
Hey mate, just as a starter, if this will be your first plane, I would suggest you start off with something else, and leave this for a later period, when you get some experience under your belt!
But... on to your questions - Yes, the controller I am using with the firmware I am using does support more autonomous functions than you can probably need for an average hobby flight. On the ground I have a relay from my antenna tracker to a monitor, and I see the video feed coming from the plane on said monitor! You can check some of my older videos, I have a video on my ground station setup! Yes, it can do to multiple waypoints and return home on its own, or RTH upon loss of signal, that is basic functionality!
@@ArxangelRC OK! thank you very much, i love your channel
@@ArxangelRC You are probably right, but..... i m stubborn indeed! I trust your videos, wich will make it possible for me to use this set up as first plane! The biggest real problem to be honest is that i am not a pilot!!
Yes, like I said... getting some experience will not be a bad idea, even if on a simulator!
@@ArxangelRC May you suggest me a proper simulator?
Well, I've been looking for a new semi long range and was hooked on the nano talon, yet you gave up on the nano. Hmmmm, I am not great with wings, preferring a cruiser. Whats a recommendation from anyone here about this versus the nano talon? The reviewers are the ones that have the most experience with these planes. I'm all ears.
Dart XL... forget about the Nano Talon... at least until they come out with the MkII of that one too!
@@ArxangelRC having not flown the nano, what is it that you don't prefer? Sounds like the Dart XL is a lot more stable. Is that it? And thank you for your response.
Yeah... can carry more FPV gear and cameras, and is a lot more stable than the Nano Talon... without the need to make mods! The Nano Talon is not as stable even with the mods!
I wonder how well it would fly without the two fat vertical stabilizers. Removing them would get rid of a lot of drag...
True... but might make it go crazy! :)
what does it mean "R9 receiver is on 2.4Ghz"???
Yes, I was talking about the L9R!
The biggest problem with the plane is the plastic front as it is prone to breaking. The other ZOHD with the backward wings doesn't have this issue as the front is the abs foam like the rest of the plane which it much more crash resistant.
Hmmmm... could be... I have yet to see a break! :)
I love it😎😍 !
So do I! :)
This one would be a winner for me if it had plastic, maybe even metal hinges.
I think I could make something tho.
Adding hinges is the easiest thing you can do!
Kevlar tape is far superior to plastic hinges. Even normal kepton tape is...
Possibly! Laminating the whole plane and using that as a hinge as well also works great!
@@ArxangelRC Thats what I've ended up doing on our newer believer and skywalker x8 builds. One student has hinges in his earlier built believer, but I wasn't a fan of the gap.
Yeah... there is the gap, but you can still put some tape on there to close it up!
Good intro I love it
Thanks! :)
I heard some other stuff about this. Out of the box with no problem?
Well... the motor mount needed some glue, and consequently the motor some shimming at the top... but other than that... what you see is my experience with it! Generally when you use something for its intended purpose... it tends to work out better! :)
Foam is beautiful?
Everything can be beautiful if formed properly! :)
@@ArxangelRC yes you are right. Anyway here's what I see as beautiful. It's my P40 Warhawk. I built it for my wife. Buffed out lacquer finish. ua-cam.com/video/5QAjkiUy_8s/v-deo.html
Oh mate, that looks amazing! Does she actually fly it? I wouldn't dare even transport it to the flying field so as not to scratch it!
@@ArxangelRC trying to get her to fly yes...trying. I'm also showing her how to use a spray gun. 😁
Damn, you must have nerves of steel! :D
Thought it is in $1000s but for less than $300 AUD may be a good buy.
Yeah, no as expensive as it would have been a few years ago! :)
Very nice! Thank you.
Thank YOU!
i need to have a closer look at it , butt fuck me it looks like a good plane, like the multiplex funjet.
It is fun for sure!
Two words for you.... FUCK YEA
Hahahaha, indeed! :)
Your voice reminds me of Captain Joe.
Have heard that before! :P
I was just thinking that ! 😂
5:35 ... It's over NINE THOUSAND!!!!
Yes... 4S3P - 3 cells in parallel, 3120mAh each... x3 = just over 9000mAh. Not bad for a 4S 600 gram pack!
Must...fly...now...
Please do! :)
@@ArxangelRC My zohd dart xl just came in today actually, and I preordered it quite a while ago. I transplanted the 6A BGL autopilot/RTH controller and am now going to install the fpv gear. I'm going to use a Runcam 2 for recording/fpv. I can't wait!
Sounds good! Good luck with the maiden! :)
A lot of jello ?
There was some... but truth be told I expected more jello... given how badly balanced was the stock prop! And even so... it was barely visible... if it even was!
For some reason. .you dont seem to understand the phrase. .(i will shut up now!)...but still, great flight video
Thanks, but that is not what I said in the video! :P
looks like a starwars craft
Indeed! :)
'
nice pretty R/C plane
It is indeed! :)
i am tired while listening you :D
Well... there is a "mute" button on the video options! :P
Great video. Subbd
Thanks mate! :)
Interlstelar style
Haha, nice!
STILL NOWHERE NEAR AS GOOD AS THE SKYWALKER X-6!!!! X-6 IS BETTER IN EVERY WAY POSSIBLE
Sure! :)
ZOOOOCKKKED.... hahaha
:P
Dont loose your time installing hinges on this plane. Use tape instead...thank me later
I do have some kapton tape... will try it next time, although it is a dark orange colour... not sure I would like it on a white foam plane.
@@ArxangelRC i used to use the translucid tape made for medical purpose. Don't know how to call it.( I'm from france). Very nice plane though
The 3M blenderm?
@@ArxangelRC yeah exactly...25 mm wide, very strong, light and flexible...and soooooo easy to put in place compared to other mechanisms.
:) Have used it in the past, sure... always along with proper plastic hinges! :)
Get a camra that gives it a flat eart under it. This lock crap.
Yeah, it is not optimal... might try something different in this one at some point! :)
So - did you like it? XD
You kidding me?!?! Hahahaha... absolutely!
that propeller is too big and too close to trailing edge
Feels about right to me!
😉❤️
:)
200.00 for a foam plane you must be crazy
I guess I must be! :)
С таким акцентом, лучше на родном трещи.
:)
kruto
??
The ZOHD Dart XL is some bad-quality foam, readily shattering into pieces at first crash, plus some bad arodynamics design, pitching up at airspeed increase, for a not-so-cheap price. I would rather buy me a Mini Drak, or even a fully sized one.
Just look at what beating good-quality foam can take:
ua-cam.com/video/Z0X1pxFrx4A/v-deo.html
They might improve it... still doesn't make it a bad plane!
@@ArxangelRC I respect your opinion, but please understand my point. In my view, an RC plane has to have two basic characteristics to be worth considering buying and using:
1) it has to fly well. In other words, it has to have good aerodynamics. ZOHD Dart XL does not. It has known serious issues with uncontrollable pitch.
2) it has to be resilient to crashes, cause every RC plane is predestined to crash sooner or later. ZOHD Dart XL shatters to pieces, cause it is made of cheap unappropriate material.
In addition to that, its price is pretty high and can be compared to that of planes which have 0 problems neither with 1) nor with 2)
If in your eyes this all does not make it a bad plane, I will respectfully disagree, cause in my eyes it does.
They might improve it, you say? Probably. We will discuss that after they do so, if they do so.
BTW just ordered me a discounted Big Drak kit for 200 Euro.
Good for you! And I do understand and agree with your conditions, but... this is a point of view really... and honestly... if we are talking crashability... nothing beats Volantex's plastic fuselages for the Ranger series, for instance... so compared to them, everything else should be considered crap... soooo... not so easy to get a definitive answer there! I have crashed my Dart a few times and only damage has been to the wing tip... which was easy to fix, fingers crossed there are no more accidents, but a good crash will total a foam plane no matter of the material! As for the aerodynamics... yes, it does pitch up a bit, but most of that is due to motor angle... not really the design of the plane, I do touch on that topic in my blog post on the plane, might want to check it out! Mine still needs just a tad bit of correction but I actually like a slight pitch up with higher throttle, because I am chasing clouds anyway, and it just makes it easy to get up there when the plane just goes up all on its own when I raise the throttle, rather than having to hold that elevator up myself... so I have found my balance with this one, and the fact it now pitches up slightly at higher speeds doesn't really bother me, but a motor angle correction is needed! Other than that though... in my experience, and I did fly it yesterday again in some pretty extreme weather conditions... the plane handles absolutely perfectly and is a dream to fly slow... er because it just doesn't stall! I am going to talk to ZOHD about that foam though... be sure of that! :)
@@ArxangelRC Thanks foy your detailed reply.
The aerodynamics issue we are discussing seems to be caused by two things.
One is, as you quite correctly mentioned, the wrong default motor installation angle, which is relatively easily fixed, provided that you are ready to run extensive flight tests for doing the required precize motor angle adjustments (and provided that you wont crush the plane when doing test flights with the not-yet-correct angle).
The other one is a general suboptimal plane shape. The consequences of the latter can presumably be to a certain extent compensated by removing the ventilated rear ESC bay cover and/or by changing the default (idle) elevons position. However it is a fairly flawed solution, since the effect of these "adjustments" (for the lack of a better word) will vary depending on the flight speed. To fully correct this issue, the shape of the plane would have to be changed, hence new injection molds would have to be ordered. This is very close to a full plane redesign, since the price of injection molds is afaik the biggest cost factor for foam planes.
The foam issue is a big problem for plane operation, and indeed a cost factor too, but presumably a minor cost factor, since the price difference between the raw materials for a bad foam vs. those for a high-quality foam are afaik minimal. So choosing bad foam is rather a sign of the manufacturer being extra greedy, than of his inability to offer a plane made of good foam for an almost the same price.
P.S. And when talking about ordering new molds, it is not just about having the money to order such. It is about being able to make sure, that the parts coming out of your new mold actually fly better then those which used to come out of the old molds. And for that, you need to know aerodynamics. It is a science, and not the easiest one. By how the ZOHD Dart XL looks I can tell that it was designed by a star wars-inspired artist. Optically, the plane really looks very appealing. But it is not enogh, unfortunately.
You might be right, will know more when we get to talking with them! Thanks for your input! :)